HEALTHY EATING TIPS
IN GENERAL 1. Praise yourself for healthy eating. 2. Drink some water during the day to stay hydrated. 3. Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains as your primary foods. 4. Try to keep high fat foods like cakes, ice cream, cookies, and fried foods out of the house. 5. If you crave candy bars, buy the "bite sized", individually wrapped ones and allow yourself one per day. 6. Keep raw vegetables, like carrots and celery, and delicious fruit handy for snacking. 7. Eat smaller portions of high-fat foods like red meat, whole milk, cheese, butter, and eggs. 8. Eat 3 or 4 small meals a day and do not skip meals. Try not to let yourself get too hungry. Eat slowly and chew more times than you usually would. 9. Try not to eat while watching television or talking on the telephone. You cannot judge the amount of food you are eating, and you cannot enjoy your meal while doing these activities. 10. Avoid eating within two hours of sleeping. If you have to eat, limit yourself to low calorie/low fat snacks. 11. Before you get something to eat, ask yourself, "Am I really hungry"? BEFORE THE MEAL/SHOPPING & COOKING 12. Prepare the meal yourself- this burns calories and helps you control the ingredients. 13. Shop for groceries on a full stomach - this will keep you from buying impulsively. 14. Always use a shopping list that includes fruits, vegetables, and other low fat and low cal foods. 15. Reduce food cues in your environment - put food dishes, cookie jars, and leftovers away. 16. Use fats and oils sparingly in cooking. 17. Use small amounts of salad dressings and spreads, such as butter, margarine and mayonnaise. 18. Try reduced or non-fat substitutes. 19. Choose lean cuts of meat and trim visible fat. 20. Take skin off of poultry. 21. Have cooked dry beans and peas instead of meat occasionally. 22. Moderate the use of egg yolks and organ meats. 23. Choose skim or lowfat milk and non-fat or lowfat yogurt and cheese most of the time. 24. Check labels on foods to see how much fat and saturated fat are in a serving. 25. Choose liquid vegetable oils most often because they are lower in saturated fat. DURING THE MEAL 26. Drink a large glass of water before eating - this will help you feel full faster. 27. Before starting the meal, enjoy the appearance of the food. This will prepare you to be more aware of your food. 28. Eat slowly and take at least 20 minutes to eat a meal. Your body takes that length of time of to feel full. 29. Eat in only one place in your house. That will reduce the number of opportunities for eating and lessen food thoughts. 30. Eat only when you are hungry. Don't eat just because "it's lunch time." However, try not to skip meals because you might overeat later.
31. Try to plan healthy choice but don't eat "diet" foods just because they have that label. 32. Always eat while sitting at a table (avoid eating at the kitchen counter or in the car). 33. Put your fork down in between bites of food. 34. Stop eating when you are no longer hungry. AFTER THE MEAL 35. Spend time thinking about how your body feels after eating. 36. Plan your next meal. AT A RESTAURANT 37. Order entrees that are baked or broiled rather than fried. 38. Order salads with the dressing on the side - when eating the salad, just dip your fork in the dressing before taking a bite. 39. Plan to eat half of the entree and take the other half home - most restaurant portions are very large. 40. Try to avoid eating the bread or rolls before the meal starts/or limit yourself to one piece with little or no butter. 41. Limit alcoholic beverages - they contain calories but have no nutritional value. They can also impair your judgment and you might find yourself eating the high fat/calorie foods you were trying to avoid! 42. If you must have dessert, share with someone. Daily Eating Log Date/Day Time Food Calories (Fat grams) Location Before and After (Thoughts/Feelings) Tip Used Satisfaction (0 - 10)